Ensemble Galilei

Founded in 1990, Ensemble Galilei is an ensemble of brilliant musicians whose recordings of Irish and Scottish airs and dance tunes, Renaissance and medieval music, and original compositions, run the gamut from stunningly beautiful to crushingly raucous reels and jigs. The Ensemble takes their name and inspiration from the life of composer Vincenzo Galilei, whose influence, some four hundred years ago, helped restore a vital element of passion to the music of the day. To achieve their unique sound, they have melded the elegance of chamber music with the energy and excitement of traditional music. An intricate blend of instruments grants listeners passage to another world, evoking musical images of the ancient Celts and bringing these images to life for today’s audiences. They have performed and toured globally for almost twenty-five years, and have been featured on multiple recordings and radio performances. They have notably collaborated with National Geographic to create First Person: Stories from the Edge of the World and collaborated with the Metropolitan Museum of Art for First Person: Seeing America, and the music is used in the score of Christopher Munch’s film, Letters from the Big Man.